NEW YORK, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Champion New York Yankees and BNY Mellon will be honored as "Champions of Life" at New York Blood Center's (NYBC) Biennial Chairman's Dinner this Monday, November 16, 2009 at Gotham Hall in Manhattan, NY. The event is chaired by William J. Mullaney, MetLife President of U.S. Business.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to honor these two outstanding supporting organizations as 'Champions of Life,'" said Dr. Christopher D. Hillyer, NYBC President and CEO. "Their efforts on behalf of the patients and hospitals we serve locally, nationally and around the world deserve all of our profound gratitude."

Since 1996, The New York Yankees have co-sponsored the New York Yankees High School Blood Donor Championship to encourage New York and New Jersey students to hold blood drives. Each year, the team recognizes top yielding high schools with a special evening and field ceremony at Yankee Stadium. When the program first began, high school blood donor groups contributed about 20,000 donations per year. Today, after 13 years of this community partnership, regional high schools now contribute more than 60,000 donations per year. This year, the program surpassed a record 500,000 blood donations.

BNY Mellon, an asset management and securities services company, is the leading financial services blood donor group for New York Blood Center, with more than 36,000 blood donations since 2000. BNY Mellon has also been actively involved in NYBC's Volunteer Leadership Campaign for many years. Top executives, including Gerald L. Hassell, BNY Mellon President, have lent their time and talent to reach out to other corporate and community groups to secure blood drives and support NYBC's mission to help save lives.

The World Champion New York Yankees and BNY Mellon will be recognized at NYBC's Biennial Chairman's Dinner on November 16, hosted by news talent Greg Kelly and Rosanna Scotto of FOX 5's Good Day New York. The evening's festivities will also feature a special performance by Broadway actor and performer Brian Stokes Mitchell, who has also been involved with NYBC for many years.

About New York Blood Center: New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the nation's largest non-profit, community-based blood centers. NYBC has been providing blood, transfusion products and services to almost 200 hospitals, serving 20 million people, in greater New York since 1964. NYBC is also home to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world's largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through our medical professionals along with consultative services in transfusion medicine.

    Contact:  Leslie Gonzalez
    Lgonzalez2@nybloodcenter.org
    212-570-3304  Office
    646-342-3038  Mobile

SOURCE New York Blood Center

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